Book picks similar to
Extraordinary Ordinary Ella by Amber Hendricks


picture-books
picture-book
kindness
realistic-fiction

My School Stinks!


Becky Scharnhorst - 2021
    Perfect for fans of Ryan T. Higgins's We Don't Eat Our Classmates and Elise Parsley's If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, Don't! Dear Diary, Today is the first day at my new school and I think there's been a mistake. My desk mate stinks, my locker buddy bites, and my teacher is unbearable! I told Mom my classmates are WILD ANIMALS but she said all little kids are wild animals. I think I'm going to be sick tomorrow. Celebrate back to school (and even calm some back-to-school nerves) with this clever and funny story about a boy who accidentally winds up at a school for animals, but soon realizes friends can come in all shapes, sizes, and species. A great read for kindergarten through second grade!Praise for My School Stinks! Along with being a good choice for children anxious about their own upcoming "first day," this offers a nifty exercise in reading between the lines.-- Booklist An encouraging new-kid narrative told from an entertaining perspective. -- Publishers Weekly

A Normal Pig


K-Fai Steele - 2019
    Suddenly she doesn’t like any of the same things she used to . . . the things that made her Pip.

Saturday at the Food Pantry


Diane O'Neill - 2021
    Molly's happy to get food to eat until she sees her classmate Caitlin, who's embarrassed to be at the food pantry. Can Molly help Caitlin realize that everyone needs help sometimes?

Giraffe Problems


Jory John - 2018
    . . . A second hilarious collaboration from picture-book superstars Lane Smith and Jory John!Can you guess what's making this giraffe self-conscious? Could it be . . . HIS ENORMOUS NECK Yes, it's exactly that--how on earth did you figure it out?Edward the giraffe can't understand why his neck is as long and bendy and, well, ridiculous as it is. No other animal has a neck this absurd. He's tried disguising it, dressing it up, strategically hiding it behind bushes--honestly, anything you can think of, he's tried. Just when Edward has exhausted his neck-hiding options and is about to throw in the towel, a turtle swoops in (well, ambles in, very slowly) and helps him understand that his neck has a purpose, and looks excellent in a bow tie.

Most People


Michael Leannah - 2017
    Jennifer Morris’s emotive, diverting characters provide the perfect complement to Leannah’s words, leading us through the crowded streets of an urban day in the company of two pairs of siblings (one of color). We see what they see: the hulking dude with tattoos and chains assisting an elderly lady onto the bus; the Goth teenager with piercings and purple Mohawk returning a lost wallet to its owner; and the myriad interactions of daily existence, most of them well intended. Most People is a courageous, constructive response to the dystopian world of the news media.Fountas Pinnell Level M

Say Something


Peter H. Reynolds - 2019
    If you have a brilliant idea...say something!If you see an injustice...say something!In this empowering new picture book, beloved author Peter H. Reynolds explores the many ways that a single voice can make a difference. Each of us, each and every day, have the chance to say something: with our actions, our words, and our voices. Perfect for kid activists everywhere, this timely story reminds readers of the undeniable importance and power of their voice. There are so many ways to tell the world who you are...what you are thinking...and what you believe. And how you'll make it better. The time is now: SAY SOMETHING!

Not Little


Maya Myers - 2021
    When the diminutive Dot stands up to a bully on behalf of an even smaller friend, she proves how big she can truly be.Dot is the smallest person in her family and at school; even her name is small! People often mistake her for being younger than she is, but not when she tells them the square root of sixty-four is eight, nor when she orders from the grown-up menu at restaurants or checks out the hard books at the library. She may be small, but she's not little.When a new boy named Sam joins Dot's class, she wonders if he's even smaller than she is. When she sees him getting bullied by a mean kid twice his size, she knows she has to do the big thing and stand up for him.Maya Myers's debut picture book has a pitch-perfect voice that captures the inimitable Dot in all her fierceness, and Hyewon Yum's delightful pastel-hued artwork is its perfect complement.

A Boy Like You


Frank Murphy - 2019
    A Boy Like You encourages every boy to embrace all the things that make him unique, to be brave and ask for help, to tell his own story and listen to the stories of those around him. In an age when boys are expected to fit into a particular mold, this book celebrates all the wonderful ways to be a boy.

Your Name Is a Song


Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow - 2020
    In response, the girl's mother teaches her about the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern names on their lyrical walk home through the city. Empowered by this newfound understanding, the young girl is ready to return the next day to share her knowledge with her class. Your Name is a Song is a celebration to remind all of us about the beauty, history, and magic behind names.

Teddy's Favorite Toy


Christian Trimmer - 2018
    But his very favorite doll has the best manners, the sickest fighting skills, and a fierce sense of style. Then one morning, something truly awful happens. And there’s only one woman fierce enough to save the day. Can Teddy’s mom reunite Teddy with his favorite toy?

Peace Is an Offering


Annette LeBox - 2015
    With rhyming verse and soft illustrations, this book will help families and teachers look for the light moments when tragedy strikes and remind readers of the calm and happiness they find in their own community every day.

Flight School


Lita Judge - 2014
    With irrepressible spirit, Penguin follows his dreams to flip, flap, fly! Even if he needs a little help with the technical parts, this penguin is ready to live on the wind.

The Wall in the Middle of the Book


Jon Agee - 2018
    When he's almost over his head and calling for help, who will come to his rescue? An individual who isn't as dangerous as the knight thought—from a side of the book that might just have some positive things to offer after all!

Marshall Armstrong Is New to Our School


David Mackintosh - 2011
    He doesn’t play sports, and he doesn’t watch television. So when he invites everyone in class over for his birthday party, it’s sure to be a disaster. Or is it? Marshall Armstrong might have a trick or two up his long, “sun protective” sleeve. David Mackintosh’s story, with its bold design and sharply humorous observations, is a highly original take on the popular theme of the difficulties of being the new kid and making friends.Praise for Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School« “Mackintosh’s beautifully underplayed text and genial drawings manage to be empathic to both the leery narrator and the serenely outré object of his misapprehension. Without a whiff of pedantry, Mackintosh (Rex) skillfully dismantles the narrator’s defenses and bonds him to Marshall Armstrong, all the while proving that fun doesn’t always fit within the confines of one’s comfort zone.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review

Two Bicycles in Beijing


Teresa Robeson - 2020
    Side by side, two bicycles, Lunzi and Huangche, come out of the factory. Side by side, they watch the city of Beijing from their shop window. Then a young girl comes in and buys Huangche, rolling him away from Lunzi! With the help of a delivery boy, Lunzi begins an epic race to find her friend that introduces readers to all the sights and sounds of Beijing.